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Basic 24hr Kit equipment

Started by will3947, March 06, 2013, 07:36:35 PM

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will3947

Could someone give me a rundown on some 24hr kit gear they recommend?
You know, a pack, food, the whole 9 yards.

johnnyb47

#1
A pack would be good.
Some food is also recommended.
I don't really think you need 9 whole yards though. 4 or 5 should do.
>:D

I like my Guerilla Packs Voltij for both 24 hour and 72 hour gear. It's bright orange too.
MRE's are fun and handy as heck but my stomach cant handle more than one of them in a weekend. I still keep them in my pack in case I ever get lost in a local park or trapped over night in the zoo.
Otherwise the task guide is your main source of reference for everything.
You can clean up at the dollar store if you have one nearby.

EDIT: And here is the task guide:
http://www.nesa.cap.gov/curriculum_material/gsar/g&udftg.pdf
Capt
Information Technology Officer
Communications Officer


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lordmonar

Also a note.....for first time ES'ers........don't go out to the surplus store and by a thousand dollars of militrary gear.

For a 24 hour pack....use your school book bag,
When it says 2 liters of water don't go out and buy an $80 camel back...buy two one liter bottles (or four 500 ml bottles).

Also see if anyone else in your area is looking to get gear too.

You can combine your purchases......(a 100 counter box of latex gloves is chearper then getting a single use paket).
A box of bandaides of 40 count is much cheaper then just "tavel" pack.  Etc.

Go as cheap as you can at first......once you are into the GT thing and have been around other people with better gear.....you can see and try different products and ease into it.

PATRICK M. HARRIS, SMSgt, CAP

Duke Dillio

A couple other suggestions.  Go to your local fire department or EMS service.  They are usually more than willing to provide latex gloves, parts for first aid kits, etc.  Wally World is a great place to get most of your kit for cheap prices.  Dollar stores are good too.  Military gear is durable but normally two to three times heavier than their civilian counterparts.  Make sure you get snivel gear that is appropriate for the weather.  For example, a military poncho for rain gear doesn't work in Oregon...  you just get soaked.  A winter jacket in Virginia is a whole lot lighter than one for Michigan, Alaska, or upstate New York.  Check with other members of your squadron.  They sometimes have extra gear they need to get rid of.  Also, make sure you talk to your team leader first before getting anything to make sure there aren't local supplements that require additional equipment aside from the CAP GT text (i.e. in California, the GT gear list has a whole lot more than in Colorado).  You team leader can also tell you where they got their stuff, what they recommend, etc.

ol'fido

1. Avoid "combination" items. Such as the combination flashlight, multitool, and whistle. They are usually very "breakable" and do none of those things well. If you need a flashlight, get a flashlight. A $10 dollar Mini-Maglite from Walmart is about perfect for a ground team.

2. Along those same lines, avoid the "Elite, Ranger, Special Forces, SEAL, Tactical, Combat" whatchamacallit. (I can't believe that whatchamacallit doesn't have a spell check red squiggly line under it.) Most of this stuff is $3 of equipment and $40 dollars(or more) of marketing.

3. Don't buy expensive but do buy quality.  The off brand "Swiss Army-style" knife may only be $3.99 at the check out lane, but thats about how long in seconds it will last you in the field. Buy Victornox, Gerber, Buck, Cold Steel brands when it comes to knives. Avoid anything from United Cutlery like the plague. The $400 dollar Randall knife may be a great knfie, but if I paid that much for one, I would be afraid to use it!

4. If you don't have to buy it all at once(and you don't) save your money and buy stuff you see others with that is affordable, reliable, durable, and above all necessary.
Lt. Col. Randy L. Mitchell
Historian, Group 1, IL-006

Storm Chaser

Many people tend to get military backpacks or vests, which tend to be green, camouflage (tan or woodland) or black. While these are all acceptable, the Ground Team Task Guide states that a red or orange pack is preferred. I personally have a True North AeroVest orange SAR vest, which I really like. If you're just getting started, I wouldn't recommend it due to cost (it's a bit pricey). But if you have a red or orange backpack, that would work just fine. As you get more involved (and if money is not an issue), I would get a vest since it makes your gear more accessible and distributes the weight better.

Duke Dillio

I forgot to add, when you start gearing your 72 hour pack, make sure that you pay attention to the ratings of your equipment, specifically your sleeping bag.  Don't go buy the $20 Wally World special if you live in a colder environment.  It will make for some very miserable experiences.  Get a bag that is rated for the conditions you are most likely to face.  Also, don't buy anything just because it "looks cool."  Remember that you will have to lug it around somewhere.  Never wear new boots to a mission or field exercise.  Get your pair well worn in before you have to walk long distances.  Finally, make sure that everything that you have you can carry.  When you pack your kit, put it on and walk around with it. 

Pylon

As for 72-hour gear and sleeping systems, stores like EMS often rent the systems they sell.  So you can take one of their current offerings to a bivouac and try it out for the weekend to see if its comfortable, fits, isn't too heavy or bulky to carry, and works for your climate.

Some sporting goods stores (like EMS) have student discounts, perfect for cadets and young SM's still in school.  Always ask; you never know.

As was mentioned, be selective about what you buy.  The dollar store might work for some things you'll rarely use (whistle, for example) but for things you'll use a lot, buying a quality item (read: well-built, not necessarily the most expensive) will serve you better in the long run.  A flashlight gets used often, gets banged around a lot, and needs to withstand some serious use so it's better to invest in a decent flashlight than one of those cheap, plastic, heavy, military-surplus flashlights that you'll end up cursing when you need good light and possibly breaking.   But as also already stated, that doesn't mean you need the $250 SureFire light built to withstand a nuclear apocalypse either.
Michael F. Kieloch, Maj, CAP

Duke Dillio

^^^ Good points Pylon.

I'd also add that when you go to buy your newfangled flashlight, don't get one that requires exotic batteries.  The Surefires are nice but where are you gonna get a new battery for one at 2 A.M. on a Sunday morning.  Try to stick with standard sizes.  AA's are probably the best because of size, weight, and accessibility.  Also, if you work it out with your team, everyone will have AA's in the case that you run out or are missing them.  This should go for all of your GT electronic equipment.  If you are using the old style L-PER's, make sure SOMEONE has some 9V batteries on their kit.